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COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HFr4LTN AND ENVIRONMENT, Water Quality Control Division ~mendment No. 2 -Rationale -Page 2, Permit No. CO-0000121 2. Classification: This stream segment is c(assffred jot the following uses: Use Protected; Recreation, C/ass 2: Aquatic Ltfe, Class 2 (caldJ; Agriculture. 3. Numeric Standards: The standards which have been assigned in accordance with the above classifications can be found in Clatsifrcations and Numeric Standards for the Upper Colorado River Basin 3.3.0 (S CCR 1002-8), as amended December 11. 1995. It should be noted that thisjacility does nor discharge pollutants which are limited by water quality standards with the exception ojpH, jot which the standard is 6.5 to 9.0 s. u. There are no metals standards jot this segmem. IV. PURPOSE OF AMENDMENT By letter dared November 20, l99S, the permittee requested a permit amendment to addfrve outjalls char are part of the nnv Yoasr Mine. The permi[tee imends to begirt construction of this mine this year. The Yoas[ Mine isphysically located between the Seneca 1! and the Seneca I/ West Mines (see Figure 4), both of which are already covered under this permit. These three mines will be operated together by what the permittee refers to as a 'Logical Mining Unit'. the permittee's plan is to construct outfal[ 010 in 1996, 0/1 in 1997, and 012 - 014 after 2000. Because these Tarter three ourfaUs are not due to be constructed until well after the permit is renewed in 1997, the Division and the permirree concurred that these three outjalls will not be covered under This existing permit. At the permittee's opriors, they will include outjalls 0!2 - 014 in their renewal application and the next renewal permit will authorize discharge from them upon issuance, or the permirree will apply 180 days in advance ojconsrruction (this would occur some time after the Wert renewal permit is issued). On this basis, this amendmem will only address outjalls 010 and 011. The existingpermil already authorizes an outfa110/0, however this outfal! was originally planned by the permittee ro be constructed at a different location at the Seneca !!li' mine in the Sage Creek • draiwge. This pond was never built at the Seneca I/W mirte and will never be built there due to a change in the Seneca !/W mine plan, which proposes no disturbance in that basin. Since it was never construced, there is no monitoring data on file for this outfall. TTrus, the outfall 010 desigrwrion can be applied to a new pond at the Yaast Mine without confusion. V. FACIL/TY DESCR/PTlON A. /nduslry Description As mentioned previously, the Yoast Mine is part oja 'Logical Mining Unit' that includes three coal mines operated by Seneca Coal Company. the Yoasr Mine operation is a surface mining operation with a maximum production rare of 6500 tons per day. Virtually all of the mined coal is sold to Public Service Company of COjot use at the Hayden power generating station. B. Treatment Description Treatment is accomplished with sedimemation ponds. The ponds are or will be designed and constructed in accordance with Colorado Division of Minerals and Geology (CDMG) requiremems and approved by CDMG. As such, they provide containmem ortreatment ojthe applicable 10-year, 24-hourprecipitation evems while providing three-year minimum sediment storage aruf a permanent pool' below the 10-year, 24-hour level. Such ponds typically are capable of automatically discharging incoming runoff flows while meeting settleable solids limitations. Should a permittee need ro dewarer below the automatic dewatering level, they are able to do so at Their leisure and control discharge to meet total suspended solids and total iron limitations. No rhemicaLs are specified jar use. On this basis, w chemica4 are approved under this permit. Prior ro use of any applicable chemical, the permittee must submit a request jot approval which includes the most current Material Safety Data Sheet (MSOS) with aquatic toxicity information jot that chemical. Uruil approved, use of any chemical in waters that may • be discharged is a violation of this permit. Pursuant to the authority ojArticle 9, Title 25, Reru(ations for the Certification of Water Treatment Plant and Wastewater Treatment Plant Ooerators. this facility requires a certified operator. Certiftd operators jot operation of industrial -' wastewater treatrrtent facilities are included under this regulation. For rwre injornwtion, the pamittee should contact the Colorado Plant Operator Certification Board at (303)+692-3SS8 or (303)+692-3501.